To Mrs Nancy Timoney - Obudu 15/05/55

Sacred Heart Hospital,

Obudu.

15^th May, 1955

Mrs Nancy Timoney,

2 Dollymount Grove,

Clontarf,

Dublin,

Ireland.

My dearest Mammy,

Many thanks for the grand long letter.  I was delighted to get it.  The materials are beautiful – very unusual.  It's nice having the Shamrock on Clare's white too.  Who is making Noreen's dress?  The list is pretty formidable but you seem to have included everyone – it should be a terrific do D.V. & I wouldn't worry too much about it.  I'm sure it will go off wonderfully.  Send me a piece of Noreen's material when you get it please.  What about the cake – who is making it – icing it etc? - Gosh, there's certainly a lot of odds & ends to fix up.  I think I'll make a runaway job if I'm ever getting tied up?  Except I'd hate to miss all the presents – horrible creature!  I had a letter from Seán O'Connor yesterday – He's delighted at the prospect of going to the wedding & is not writing to Pearse – on the strength of seeing him there.  You said you were enclosing the note you got with the last money from here but you didn't – How much have you got altogether, is it £350 for last year & £175 for this year to March last?  I don't want to ask Sr. Patrick about it yet as she'd fuss & I'd rather leave it for a while so if you haven't got the March to Sept. that's ok I can get some of it this end but let me know exactly how much you got altogether please. 

It was great to win that in the Y.P. Pools, you might win the Sweep next!  I'm keeping well T.G. Sister Luke went back over a week ago & they're making me toe the line here.  Sr. Canice says “now just stay on in bed after Siesta there's nothing much on” if there's any slack evening in the hospital.  So I got 4.0 clock tea in bed & got up for night shift about 7.30 pm the other day.  I was late getting to Siesta as we had 83 at the dispensary.  Fr. O'Reilly, our P.P., is very good about things too – he says mass at 7.0 or 7.15am for me if I've no big case on & so I don't have to get up for the 6.15 mass.  He's going home, by the way, at the end of the month sometime, & will call.  He is flying home – has been out over 4 years.  He's very shy at first but would talk to beat the band when he gets going.  He has been very good to me all along here in Obudu & especially when I was sick.  He & Fr. Cafferty are in the Mission here & it's only about 50 yards from us & I could have a good argument over something or nothing with Fr. O'Reilly.  He's a great reader & keeps me supplied with books.  He's in a few book clubs.

When Godfrey was up here in September, he & Fr. O'Reilly used to sit up talking till all hours.  I've given Sr. Brigid the bag for Noreen. I don't know when she's going. She's supposed to be flying with Mother Joseph before the end of the month. The Griffins are going home in September & Jerry Twomey in Sept or October whichever suits. Sr. Doctor Luke is taking over from him in Urua? Akpan. I hear there's a doctor cousin (male) of Sister Ruth's thinking of coming out soon.  Godfrey seems to be definite about staying till January. Sr. Dr. Luke has advised me not to stay longer than Sept. but I'll see how I'm doing & if there's a relief.  I want to try & get this place recognized for midwifery training in the next few months. We're getting ready for inspection – building new houses & pulling down old ones, painting & getting Bahama grass planted instead of the wild Bush grass & getting our grounds in order.
[written on back of photo -  Sr. Loretto, Lawrence the driver, (& Emily), with the Niger River in the background - April, 1955.]

Sr. Immaculata was out here last week.  She said she'd had a letter from you.  The Afikpo car (new one in January) turned over last Monday when Sr. Luke was going back in it.  She & Miss Murphy & the driver & a boy in the back – the steering went as they went over a bridge – no one hurt T.G.  I hope Seamas is keeping well & liking his College job.  Who is to be best man at the wedding?

Love to all,

Emily

ps.  Greet the Hayes's & McPeakes for me.  How is the little baby who was sick & how are the living?

(written on back of photo: Sr. Patrick, Fr. Cafferty, Sr. Felicity, Sr. Felicitas and The Wedding Party - all four are lepers)

To Mrs Nancy Timoney - Obudu 01/05/55

Sacred Heart Hospital,

Obudu,

Nigeria.

Sun 1^st May, 1955

Mrs. N. Timoney,

2 Dollymount Grove,

Clontarf,

Dublin,

Ireland.

My dearest Mammy,

I'm back in Obudu since Wednesday last & feeling fit T.G.  I spent Mon. night & Tues. in Ogoja with the Freemans.  Vera keeps very well out here.  I've been back at work since & am getting on fine T.G.  Sr. Patrick is away on holidays now & when she comes back we are going to start negotiations to try & get this made a recognized training hospital for midwives.  Afikpo has been recognized since the end of last year, December or January, I think it was, but they have a beautiful maternity block & the delay in recognition was because they did not have the right number of cases – the people don't like coming into hospital for maternity in that part of the country.  Up here they seem keen on it & we had enough cases last year to fit the bill.  We have to get our nurse's houses finished first though & get the old mat-roofed shanties they're in, knocked down before we get inspected.

I have a big relic of St. Gerard Clement Alphonsus that Br. Step. sent me so I'll use it here & bring back your little one.  Sister Patrick said she'll have a shrine made in the hall of the new maternity D.V. whenever that will be built – at present “money no dey again” for building!  Sister Doctor Luke has not gone back to Anua yet but will shortly if she sees I'm fit enough to carry on!  By the way you did not tell me the result of Noreen's xray – Please let me know the report on it next time.  How is she feeling now?  Tell her not to worry about it anyhow as that's the worst she can do – none of these chest palavers? is serious nowadays in that there is a treatment for them all now as well as rest & they're nothing to worry about at all.  Even out here where a big no. of our cases are chest ones from pneumonia to anything else, the results are pretty good with very little facilities & bad food.

Just this morning teacher's wife (she's a teacher too) returned from Enugu (160 or so miles one way!) with an xray.  She was dying here in January & has been in hospital here since then – I was very pleased with her xray but it's a terrible nuisance for them to have a round trip of 320 miles to get xrayed!  I think Sister Brigid & Mother Joseph will be going home next month D.V.  I will try & get Noreen's bag home then.  It's a small sized one – snake - as usual the finishing isn't so hot, but a least it's genuine!  It's very quiet this morning.  We have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every 1^st Sunday & the Sisters & Fathers recollect – no talking.  One Sister stays on for the hospital.  They are off retreat at 6pm.  I think there's a welcome back party for me tonight as there's a big turkey “a bush fowl” in the fridge & pears & peaches in jelly – for trifle no doubt, & ice cream & it's all very hush-hush – Oh yes! & Sr. Luke said she saw them counting the cutlery – Sr. Felicitas said to that, that she always takes an inventory at the end of the month! but it looks very suspicious.  The fridge's are run on kerosene in case you're wondering.  I'm sure you find the fridge a great boon.

I had 2 letters from Brian.  He's okay there I'd say – they're usually well housed etc. if they're in a College teaching.  The set up & description of the house seems to be very like here.  No more room.  Write soon again.

Lots of love to all,

Emily

To Mrs Nancy Timoney - Obudu 14/02/55

Sacred Heart Hospital

Obudu

Ogoja Pr.

14^th February, 1955

Mrs Nancy Timoney,

2 Dollymount Grove,

Clontarf,

Dublin,

Ireland.

Dear Mammy,

I hope you are well.  If Brian is leaving on the 17^th he'll have his journey over by the time you get this D.V.  I hope you're not letting it upset you – after all it's what he wants to do & please God he'll make a good job of it.  It would be much more upsetting if he found he'd made a mistake – his vocation or something like that.  Please let me know where he is going & if its to teach or what.  I wrote to him over a week ago.  I had a letter from Áine last week – she seems to be quite happy.  Sister Cecilia Mary sent me a copy of the school magazine – I liked the school photos – it – they looked well.  They messed up the last sentence in my article a bit but it was all a bit (colony England ?)  - however Áine seemed pleased that I made the attempt!  How are all the wedding preparations going on?  Thank Noreen for her letter – it must be very hard to decide on the dresses etc.  I wish I could be of some use but 'chance no way'.  This will arrive a bit soon but many happy returns of the 28^th Mammy.

Sister Jude should arrive sometime at the beginning of next month with your bag D.V.  They left at beginning of Feb. Sometime.  There was a big consignment of tinned milk sent out by the British Govt. here for school children & leprosy patients – but the reaction wasn't quite what was expected unfortunately.  It mentioned “sterilized” on the tins & the children were all warned not to take it & even ran out of the schools when it was produced.  The people thought it was one way of limiting the race & that it was to make them flow up “so they could not born pican”!  The African M.P.s had to go round the schools & drink the milk in front of them to try & knock this idea out of their heads.

I was in Freemans for a few days break & Denis put me on this milk disguised with Ovaltine whipped up & iced to try & put a bit of weight on me.  I'm to take a glass 2 or 3 times a day until I go home!  It's working too – I think I am putting on a bit.  We've a new Sister coming to Obudu to-morrow – Sister Canice, she's supposed to be a terrific worker so we're looking forward to having her.  She came out with Sr. Immaculata.  The Haughey’s paid a year's subscription to the Digest for me as a Christmas gift – very nice of them, wasn't it.  It's very hot here just now until the wet season in April or May.

Write soon please,

Love to all

Emily xx

no more room

ps. Happy Birthday!  Many Happy Returns to Noreen.  What are you thinking of wearing at the wedding yourself Mammy?

To Commandant and Mrs. S. Hayes - Obudu 11/11/54

Sacred Heart Hospital,

Obudu,

Ogoja Province,

Nigeria.

Sun 11^th Nov, 1954

Comdt. & Mrs S. Hayes,

6 Calderwood Road,

Drumcondra,

Dublin.

My dear Comdt. & Mrs Hayes,

I often think of you & wonder how you're getting on so I hope you'll have time to write me all the news.  How is Thérese & how is she getting on at school?  It will soon be Christmas holidays again.  I suppose you've got quite blasé about your new school now Mrs H.  It must be a great comfort to be into it.  I haven't much news from this end.  I was pleased to hear of Noreen's engagement to Paul.  You always liked him didn't you?  How do you think Mammy is keeping, or do you meet at all since the move to Dollymount Rd?!

The hospital is full here & the overflow are on the verandah this past week.  We had a lot of abnormal midwifery this week!  There was a hysterectomy, 3 forceps and another case.  We had 2 sets of twins born about 2 wks ago – they were lovely little things.

I was out 'fishing' near here the other evening (first & last time), Comdt. Hayes you'll be interested to know, but it wasn't the kind of fishing you'd approve of & I lodged my disapproval & took no hand, act or part in it when I knew what was happening!!  They set a piece of detonation or something like that on the bait (sausage) & put it in the river, then it went off with a bang & they swam out & picked up the dazed fish & we don't know the name of the fish.

I was out for a little walk round the compound with a sister the other evening just as it was dark.  We had a torch which we just flashed on occasionally as it wasn't much good.  Mine flashed on once just in time to stop dead as a big grey snake wriggled past up on the road right where our next steps would have been.

I give some lectures to the nurses in the evenings & it’s desperate trying to make them understand – last evening we were having a recap of the lecture before when I had mentioned & wrote on the board what 'medial to' and 'lateral to' meant – everybody understood, until I asked what bones we had in the arm “There's the medial (prounounced as in medical) bone & the bone called 'lateral bone'.

My favourite report in the night book is “All the others slept cosily with normal temperatures”  One of the house girls, who serves at table forgot a serving spoon & it suddenly dawned on her & she said - “Oh! the carry-put spoon” it's a pretty good name really.  We had a Christian marriage this morning – The bride wore white over a roaring pink slip which shone through and the groom wore pink socks, brown show, brown suit & whipped out an emerald green duster – or hankie embroidered in red wool, v. proudly to kneel on!

Love to all,

Emily

To Nancy Timoney - Obudu 20/05/54

Sacred Heart Hospital,

Obudu,

Ogoja Prov.

Sun 20^th May, 1954

My dearest Mammy & all,

Your big long letter was terrific – it was great to get it.  I haven't got a chance to write letters or do anything much this past while.  We had Benediction & Rosary in the evening 6 pm for May & by the time I get up

from Siesta, have tea & did the round it was time for Benediction & then it was dark just after that.  Next month I might catch up again D.V.  You needn't worry any time you don't get a letter because the posts are terribly erratic anyhow, & will be worse for the wet season.  Our letters go out & come in 45 miles by bicycle to Ogoja so when it’s wet they're not too keen!  Now your questions – I wrote to Mrs ? but I must write again now – they must have been in a bad way about poor Johnny R.I.P.

There are 3 Sisters here with me, Sr. Patrick in charge, who used to be in Afikpo, she's a midwife.  Sr. Felicity who is Scottish, a convert & just professed before she came out in Feb.  She is a trained nurse & in charge of the hospital.  Sr. Philomena who is not a nurse but looks after the Leper Village & things in general, gardening etc.  There are 2 Fathers here – Father O'Reilly from Ferbane P.P. & Father Cafferty who is from Mayo, the principle in the P.T.C. (Prep. Training College for Teachers) here.  Sister Ruth is in Anua.  Sister Muiredach is in Ogoja & Sr. Ambrose is in Afikpo.

 There are 5 Sisters in Afikpo now, Sr. Gabriel, Sr. Ambrose, Sr Vincent (matron), Sr Brigid, Sr Jude (pharmacist) & Father Bradley & Fr. MacNamara.  So now you've got the set up of Obudo & Afikpo.  There was no hospital here before there was just the Leper Village which is about ¼ to ½ mile away & in the last few months a 6 bed maternity unit but anything abnormal could not be dealt with.  About April '53 the building of the hospital was started & they're not quite finished yet.  I will take snaps & send them when it is ready.
I am held up for instruments & drugs but I put the first few patients into the wards last week even though they're not painted yet.  I see 40 to 60 patients at the dispensary every morning, do the abnormal midwifery (we had 2 sets of twins last week by the way!) & any accident cases.

It’s very slow & uphill as we're just making do & fiddling along on what we've got but D.V. it will pick up gradually.  Denis Freeman comes out to the Leper Village once a month as he's in charge of all the leprosy ? in Ogoja.  I do a dispensary there in the village  once a week & see anything that crops up in the meantime.  Any problems in the village I keep for him monthly if possible! 

[photo: Sacred Heart Hospital, Obudu c. 1954]

Jerry Twomey is in Ogoja at present studying leprosy as he has to do some in Anua.  He came out to Obudu for a week & we did some interesting cases in the hospital.  Denis & Vera & Jerry came out last Sun and brought me out for a picnic with them.  We had a good time until one of the teachers at the place we stopped recognized us & went round about the 4 doctors being there so in a few minutes we were mobbed with sick people.  We took one bad pneumonia back with us but had to tell the others we were out without stethoscopes or drugs & couldn't treat them & they would have to come in to the dispensary.

[photo - Dr. Emily P. Timoney and Dr. Jerry Twomey with Fr. Eugene O'Reilly (Kiltegan Missionaries).]





The house sounds great.  I'm looking forward to seeing it D.V.  Which is John Dunne?  Is he married to a Catholic.  I'll certainly be home before or for Christmas '55 D.V.  I am keeping very well T.G.  Most of the others who have come out have had 'fever' (malaria) but T.G. I haven't been sick at all – I say the prayer to St. Roch every day.  Sr. Ruth was in bed 2 weeks with fever. 

Yes, I think you should get a head stone up for Daddy R.I.P. & a little fixing up to the grave.  Our official opening here is on 25^th June D.V. so we'll have a crowd up for that day.  Monsignor will open it.  Monsignor O'Flaherty sent cheque for $25 for the Sisters & myself.  The Sisters & Fathers & I were at a candlelight dinner party at the D.O.s (District Officer's) sometime ago -  I wore the grey shimmery skirt & top – it’s very useful indeed.  I'm sending on some more snaps & stamps for Sean & ?  Did Seamus get my letter?  Be sure & keep the snaps for me please.

Love to all,

Emily

To Commandant & Mrs S. Hayes - Obudu 01/05/54

R.C.M.,

Sacred Heart Hospital,

Obudu,

Ogoja Province,

Nigeria,

B.W.A.

1^st May, 1954

Commandant & Mrs S. Hayes,

6 Calderwood Road,

Drumcondra,

Dublin,

Ireland.

My dear Comdt. & Mrs Hayes,

I hope you & Thérese are well.  Many thanks for the letter I got ages ago (in answer to mine, so it’s your turn again!) & the John D. news cutting about waiting rooms – it was good, wasn't it?  I expect they've told you I've reached my destination at last & am settled in Obudu – literally settled because there's no car here so we can't get out!  It's miles from anywhere & very bush!  The hospital is just getting the finishing touches now & is a very fine edifice as the African's would put it, they could never use a simple word if they know a bigger one, that is those who can speak even the smallest amount of English.  This morning the workmen were asking me where to put the windows in the lab. (they had forgotten a lab – none on the govt. plan) so we're having one added on –  I said “put it here for middle” he said “Oh 'make we put him here for centre” with the emphasis on centre & dropped with English accent!

The other day 3 teachers came to ask me to be chairman of their newly organised “Obudu Literary Society” which I declined first & then 'refused' as they were most insistent.  I heard their first debate was “Is modern civilisation a curse?”!!  People who have the slightest scraps of education here think they're the bee’s knees & lord it over everyone else.  The real “Bush” people are much nicer.  The others are all on this independence movement to self-government in 1956, & according to those who have been out here a long time, their attitude towards Europeans is very much changed & it is not safe for the Fathers even to have any argument with them.  One of the Holy Ghost Fathers who came out on the boat with me has now gone home again with severe injuries to his hand & arm from a machette (long hunting knife out here) attack by one of his teachers.  It is thought that he will lose a few fingers of his left hand.  The teacher said he was sorry he did not kill him & if he returns he will finish off the job & there are a few other instances of threats or fist striking.  Europeans are liable to a fine of £5 for striking an African.

Our compound here is nicely situated for scenery – at the foot of the Obudu-Cameroon Mountain range – 
[come some week-end and bring the fishing rod & we'll call at Dan somebody's place for the Poteen – you remember?!]  We have a lot of snakes & scorpions in the compound here.  The latter are horrible looking & very vicious – their bite is, they say, terribly painful.  There are elephants about 30 miles away or less & bush cows or buffalo which I believe unlike most other wild animals are unprovoked attackers.  There are monkeys, gorillas & leopards in the mountains & antelope.  The flowering trees out here are magnificent – Flame of the Forest is a beautiful spreading branched tree with a mass of red flowers & fern type leaves.  The fruit we get around here – pineapple, Paw-paw, limes, oranges, bananas, mangos, avocado, pear (a savoury really).  It is funny to get freshly picked & grated coconut over one's sweet.  Cola nuts are broken here like the pipe of peace.  When you go into a house the owner breaks a Cola nut (horrible thing) & gives you ½ Cola & our loaf bread at home is made from flour, palm-wine & salt – finish.  No baking powder or soda – the palm wine acts as a rising agent.  The official opening of the hospital has been definitely arranged now for the 24^th June D.V.  As my interpreter told me “that he hears from our cook that sister tell him buy cocks from market & fatten them up because many many white man come here for this opening of hospital”.

[written on photo - Sacred Heart Hospital, Obudu - Patient arriving for operation for strangulated hernia c. 1954- Dr. Emily Twomey (Dublin) M.O.]

How is Pat getting on since she went home?  Please write a long one soon & give me all the news & how they're all doing at home etc. & please do say a few prayers for me as its quite a worrying spot to be in at times with no one to consult.  I'll write to Thérese sometime before she comes home D.V.

Love to you all

Emily